Amalathian
“Who are you to second-guess the will of the Emperor? His plans are for him and him alone to know. It is enough for us to know that his grand designs for the galaxy unfold as he has foreseen, and the colossal arrogance displayed by those who claim to act in his name is both dangerous and tantamount to heresy.” –Inquisitor Barzano The Amalathians believe that the Emperor’s will is unfolding constantly across the Imperium and that He has a plan known only to Him. A strict Puritan faction, they believe in maintaining the laws and governance of the Imperium above all considerations, convinced that in keeping the status quo they are in fact fulfilling the Emperor’s great vision for His domain. They are also counted among the oldest of the factions, their tenets first being laid down millennia ago on the sacred slopes of Mount Amalath---from which they take their name. The Amalathians enjoy close ties with many Imperial organizations, providing assistance, overt and otherwise, in order to maintain their control. Thus they ensure a balance within the power of the Adeptus and in the operational fabric of the Imperium. In the Calixis Sector, the Amalathians enjoy a special relationship with the Adeptus Arbites, routinely supporting them in investigations and operations, whilst also providing access to “hard to reach” information and informants. Amalathian Domains All of the major worlds within the Calixis Sector lie beneath the influence of the Amalathians. From the hives of Scintilla to the mines of Sepheris Secundus and beyond, their watchful eyes monitor the actions of the Emperor’s countless organizations. Only as the light of the Emperor become faint and the grasp of the Imperium weakens does their power fade. Towards the rim, among the Halo Stars, and deep within the empty reaches of the sector, there is little evidence of the Amalathians and their work. After all, it is the Imperium and its workings that are their chief concern---“better to have power over the people than the stars,” as some would say. Amalathian Operations Amalathians have a direct hand in the daily operation of several of the Calixis Sector’s key Imperial organizations. Certainly, many of the most powerful military leaders have their operations in part directed by the faction. Whether they know it or not, both the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard have (numerous times) been redirected to further the ends of the Amalathians. Such shifts in manpower and vessels are sometimes so subtle as to have gone unnoticed, and certainly being told what to do is pretty much the norm for those within the military. Within the Adeptus Arbites, however, members of the faction take a far more direct and visible hand. Acting as advisors, they work to ensure the Emperor’s laws are being enforced and guide the Imperium’s lawmen towards areas most in need of their firm hand. This work is very important to the Amalathians, as many of the faction’s Inquisitors have an almost pathological belief in the rule of law. This conviction could be attributed to the fact that many of them believe that Imperial law is synonymous with the word of the Emperor Himself. Amalathian Inquisitors Inquisitor Thor-Malken is an old and grizzled Amalathian with an unhealthy obsession with the law and its enforcement. Once a High Marshal, he traded his Arbites’ badge for a rosette. However, he still sees himself as a lawman---only now he has the power to truly pass judgment as he sees fit. Thor-Malken is also well known within the Conclave for his unflinching adherence to doctrine and protocol, once executing his own cadre of acolytes for following an illegal order and officially reprimanding himself for issuing it. He has a distaste for interrogation, which he views as wasteful and time consuming. He prefers to make snap judgments about people and then treat them accordingly. Unsurprisingly, many other Inquisitors find his company uncomfortable, and those that have had to work with him seldom do so again. Worlds apart from Thor-Malken is Lady Purusha. While still a devoted and loyal member of the faction, she works to maintain the stability of the Imperium through the use of subtle influence, pulling strings covertly in order to enact her will. Still young enough to feel a connection to the mass of humanity she is sworn to protect, she often poses as a skilful and intelligent adept or advisor. She prefers to work her way into the courts of planetary governors and the noble elite or act as an adjutant to military commanders. Once Purusha is well ensconced in such a place, she then works to set up a firm network of informers and confidants, ensuring that when she moves on she leaves a legacy of control in her wake. Over time, she hopes to create a web of suggestion and influence that she can use like the reins on a beast of burden to move government policy where she pleases. 'Amalathian Secrets' Like the Thorians, the Amalathians are one of the more visible and well known factions. Certainly, within the Conclave their actions and agents are easily recognized, and their ends are apparent and accepted. This transparency of intent, however, hides a significant secret. The Amalathians, being privy to vast amounts of information gathered by the Imperium’s military and law enforcement, have discerned a dark, deadly secret about the Hereticus Tenebrae and what perhaps is its ultimate meaning. This information, if it became known among the Conclave, would most probably force radical changes among the Inquisitiorial operations in the sector and, worse yet, alter the Imperium’s very presence there. Thus, a small Cabal within the faction has chosen to suppress the information and its existence. To date, only a handful of Amalathians know these facts, and even they are each entrusted with only a part of the truth, perhaps not even guessing at the enormity of the danger.